If you are one of the many businesses that deal with numerous kind of vehicles on site and busy facilities that need portable access that you can count on for safety and efficiency, Northern Platforms is here to help. As one of Western Canada’s leading suppliers of safe access solutions, including modular platforms, rolling stairs, loading arms, and more, our team is proud to partner with customers spanning a wide range of industries across the region. At Northern Platforms, we’re here to help you put safety first and make sure you have everything you need to succeed. If you’re looking to add to your safety equipment this year, below are a few factors to keep in mind when selecting loading platforms. Read on to learn how to set yourself up for success!
How to Prioritize Needs
Safety equipment is a major asset for your job site, and in order to make the most of it, it’s crucial to take the time upfront to determine what you need. Not only do you need to make sure you’re compliant with OSHA and OH&S standards, but you also want to make sure you find the right solution for your specific application and facility. Key factors like weight capacities, dimensions, installation capabilities and more should guide your decision and a qualified equipment expert like the team at Northern Platforms can help you narrow things down based on your top priorities.
Custom Vs Standard
Once you’ve narrowed down priorities, you’ll also need to decide between custom or more standard modular platforms. Both have their benefits, and chatting with your representative will help make it clear what is best suited to your dynamic. Custom platforms are ideal for tricky workspaces and for those who want the option to remove pieces that may be redundant or otherwise unneeded. On the other side, you may find that a custom configuration costs a little more or may take a little longer than you have available to be installed. In this case, modular platforms are extremely convenient and can be ready to go right away, giving you a valid solution with no downtime.
Modular Platforms and Rolling Stands at Northern Platforms
Based in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms is proud to offer Western Canada access and loading solutions you can trust. We are partners with some of the leading names in the safe access industry, including SafeRack (we are Western Canada’s exclusive sourcefor SafeRack), ErectaStep, RollaStep and more. Our inventory features key products like RollaStep’s MP Mobile Work Platform, as well as both the G and C series mobile platforms for your convenience, and when you need extra support to stay ahead, we’re also here to offer turnkey installation services.
Learn more about our mobile platform solutions and rolling stands as well as our extensive range of other items by contacting our team today!
Abiding by Canadian workplace safety standards is crucial for your workers and place of business, regardless of what industry you operate in. But with the right tools and equipment in place, you can significantly reduce the risks faced by your employees. Industrial catwalks, otherwise called access platforms and stairs, can help you properly abide by government regulations and provide several benefits to you and your employees. At Northern Platforms, our line of ErectaStep access platforms and stairs can be your safety solutions. Continue reading to learn more about how ErectaStep industrial catwalks can improve your workplace safety, increase worker efficiency, and more!
What is a Catwalk?
An industrial catwalk is a safety walkway that facilitates the movement of workers and equipment from one location to another. Typically, industrial catwalks, also called access catwalks or access platforms and stairs, function as aisles or walkways within a warehouse or industrial building. These safety walkways enable workers to access hard-to-reach areas safely and conveniently. In the case of manufacturing operations, industrial catwalks make accessing goods and inventory simple. This is especially crucial as many manufacturing facilities typically need a network of pathways to navigate machines, materials, and workstations.
At Northern Platforms, we carry a range of safe access solutions that can easily be implemented in your workplace. Our ErectaStep brand offers a range of configurations and is a great replacement option for temporary scaffolding. We also have a demo trailer so you can see precisely how ErectaStep can improve your site accessibility.
How Catwalks Keep Your Crew Safe
Industrial catwalks are an integral part of the industrial and commercial fields as they provide a range of operational, logistical, and economic benefits. One of their most significant advantages is their flexibility and increased worker efficiency and safety. These safe access platforms are incredibly helpful in reducing emergency evacuation times as they can provide shortcuts across your facility. Access Platforms, like ErectaStep, also increase your workers’ safety by reducing skipping, dropping, slipping, and fall risks. All of our systems come with a 42″ high handrail and a 6″ high toe plate. As a standard handrails/railings are powder coated safety yellow.
Northern Platform’s range of ErectaStep products can improve the safety and navigation of your facility through its versatile design. ErectaStep is made from prefabricated metal stairs, metalwork platforms, industrial handrails, aluminum stairs/ladders, and tower support. When all five of these innovative modular frameworks are combined, you can easily bolt together (no fabrication required!) a network of safe access paths. At Northern Platforms, we know that the safety and security of your employees are vital; that’s why our sales team can visit your site to determine the best possible safe access solutions for your business. While onsite, using our configurator app, our team can model your system and show your drawings of the proposed solution while on site so you can see in real-time what our ErectaStep products can do for you!
Your Source for Industrial Catwalks
Northern Platforms has been Western Canada’s premier source for safe access solutions. Based in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms has been providing businesses with gangways, platform systems, work platforms, crossovers, and more since 2002. Our team is excited to provide exceptional customer service and unbeatable products to keep your workplace safe. With top brands like ErectaStep and SafeRack in stock, Northern Platforms will have the safety access solutions you know and trust. We also offer a range of services, including turnkey installation and preventative maintenance, along with our extensive inventory. Contact our team today to learn more about how we can make your workplace safer and more efficient. Don’t forget to book a complimentary onsite demonstration with our demo trailer!
Do you know the many benefits of truck loading platforms? All across Canada, trucking and hauling companies rely on safe loading solutions to best facilitate their daily operations, but few stop to consider the immense benefits offered by such products. While loading platforms can be beneficial for almost all industries, they are particularly vital in the petrochemical and dangerous good sectors, where safety failures and improper practices can present even more risk.
At Northern Platforms, we know the value of having the solutions you need ready when it matters most. As a proud partner with leading safe access manufacturers like SafeRack (we are Western Canada’s exclusive source for SafeRack), ErectaStep, RollaStep, and more, our team is pleased to provide high-end solutions for the Oil & Gas, chemical, engineering, construction and related heavy industry sectors. Below, we’ll explore 3 key ways truck loading platforms help keep your job site safe and ensure your team is on the right side of OH&S. Read on to learn more!
Remove Unnecessary Risk
A key component of worksite safety is removing hazardous variables that don’t need to be there. Whether you’re hauling caustic materials, dangerous chemicals, or even just standard fare, loading platforms help to remove avoidable risks including slips and falls, all while improving efficiency. By making sure your crew has a safe way to navigate tanker trucks and other tricky transport vessels, you’re already leaps and bounds ahead when it comes to alleviating the chance for significant incidences on site.
Minimize Cross-Contamination
Cross-contamination of cargo is a major concern, especially when handling chemicals and dangerous materials. Loading platforms come with a variety of optional add-ons, including rain canopies and other options that can help protect your protect (and your crew) from the risks associated with cross-contamination. Northern Platforms is happy to partner with your crew to discover what custom solutions are best suited for your needs and can present you with a 3D mockup of your potential setup in real-time for your convenience!
Boost Efficiency
Finally, when you remove safety hazards, you allow your crew to get down to work faster, smarter, and with more confidence. Working fast should never involve risky shortcuts, and Northern Platforms is here to show you how to implement best practices without compromising on speed or efficiency.
Loading Platforms and More at Northern Platforms
Northern Platforms is a family-owned and operated business based out of Leduc, Alberta. With decades of industry experience behind our name, our top priority is making sure you have access to the best resources available on the market. That’s why we’re proud to partner with vetted manufacturers like SafeRack, ErectaStep, RollaStep and more. Among our inventory, you’ll find a wide variety of products including RollaStep’s MP Mobile Work Platform, as well as both the G and C series mobile platforms. In addition, Northern Platforms also offers turnkey installation services and preventative maintenance support to ensure you’re always covered, every step of the way.
Learn more about our mobile platform solutions as well as our extensive range of other items by contacting our team today!
Hopper cars and rail transport are one of the biggest methods of shipping in North America, with millions of pounds of wheat, crude oil, steel, gasoline and more moving across the continent each year. In order to ensure safe transport measures and reduce your onsite risk, fall protection is an essential asset. At Northern Platforms, we’re proud to put safety and efficiency first. Our team knows the many risks associated with loading and transport, and by partnering with some of the top manufacturers in the safe access industry including SafeRack LLC (we are Western Canada’s exclusive source for SafeRack), we’re here to make sure you have the equipment you need when it matters most.
Below, we’ll talk about some of the top safety tips when it comes to reducing the risks associated with loading railcars. Read on to learn more!
Install Rail Safety Solutions
Falls are one of the biggest risks associated with railcar loading, and installing rail loading fall protection solutions is one of the best ways to mitigate the danger. Hopper cars come in a variety of configurations, meaning that the ability to customize your safe loading solutions is essential. Using safety equipment like gangways, safety cages, loading/unloading racks, and anchor points are all vetted ways to reduce fall hazards and allow your team to work as effectively as possible.
Education is Key
When it comes to establishing safety on your job site, education is key. As much as equipment can help eliminate immediate concerns, if no one is aware of best practices, as well as the safety measures you have in place, you’re far less likely to succeed. Take the time to invest in employee education; your staff, as well as your job site efficiency, will thank you!
Know the Challenges of Your Job Site
Every job site will have its own unique safety hazards you need to account for, and depending on what circumstances you face, varying access solutions will be better suited to your workspace. Customizable options like gangways, railings, safety gates and other interchangeable solutions will go a long way towards creating a better, safer space for all.
SafeRack Equipment, Only at Northern Platforms
Northern Platforms is the exclusive distributor of SafeRack products throughout Western Canada and is proud to partner with an industry leader dedicated to unbeatable quality and performance. Our inventory features several SafeRack products, including the SafeRack self-adjusting stair gangway and much more. Contact our team today to learn more about SafeRack’s gangways and rail loading options, as well as Northern Platforms’ extensive range of safe access and loading solutions!
With spring on the way, it’s time to say out with the old and welcome in the new with safe access equipment and platforms you can trust! Based in Leduc, Alberta, Northern Platforms is proud to offer you access to industry-leading solutions from top manufacturers like SafeRack LLC. As Western Canada’s exclusive source for SafeRack, we offer easy access to their top products including truck platforms, mobile platforms, and their self-adjusting stair gangway. For all of your OH&S and OSHA-compliant equipment, Northern Platforms has you covered!
Why Safety Matters
According to the most recent workplace safety survey (2019) transport and heavy equipment operators still face some of the highest rates of on-site incidences and injury statistics. Utilizing safety equipment like truck loading platforms, especially when paired with swing gates, cages, and harnesses are a great way to keep everyone safe and efficient on the job. Using the right equipment drastically reduces the risks of slips, falls, and other related dangers, giving you, and your entire crew, peace of mind.
SafeRack’s Self-Adjusting & Self-Leveling Gangway
With a reputation for high-end results and unbeatable performance, SafeRack’s self-adjusting gangway system is designed to pair seamlessly with a wide variety of sizes and ranges of trucks. With decades of experience behind their name and trusted quality, SafeRack has become an industry go-to, and the leading standard when it comes to truck loading platforms and more. SafeRack’s self-adjusting / self-levelling gangway has a wide working range and makes it easy to deal with vehicles that vary in height, and its unibody design means that welds are reduced, eliminating the potential for failures. Northern Platforms’ SAS gangways are easy to use, long-lasting, and can be easily retrofitted to your existing platform as needed, and can also be supplied with a gangway track system to allow for miss-spotting of the trucks.
Your Exclusive Source for SafeRack
Northern Platforms is your exclusive distributor of SafeRack! Our inventory features several SafeRack products, including the SafeRack self-adjusting stair gangway and much more. Contact our team today to learn more about SafeRack’s gangway, as well as Northern Platforms’ extensive range of safe access and loading solutions!
